Tooth brush holder and protector



United States Patent 3,141,712 TOOTH BRUSH HOLDER AND PROTECTOR Orion .1. Holmes and Arthur S. Holmes, both of 1721 E. Missouri St., Phoenix, Ariz. Filed Dec. 26, 1961, Ser. No. 161,991 2 Claims. (Cl. 312-206) This invention relates to tooth brush holding and protecting means. More particularly, it pertains to an improved form of sanitary tooth brush holder for family or group use, featuring a protective enclosing housing wherein a plurality of tooth brushes may be suspended in separated relationship for drying and protection after use and which may be easily and individually removed from or placed within the protective housing without contact with any of the others.

It is the principal object of this invention to provide a holder for a plurality of tooth brushes, in conjunction with a protective housing; the protective housing preferably being transparent to permit the easy identification for selection for removal of any enclosed brush by its owner or user and which housing is formed at one side with an opening through which any of the brushes may be easily applied to or removed from a supporting hook, or the like, provided therefor on a reel mounted within the enclosing housing.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a brush holder in the form of a horizontally rotatable reel and from which the brushes may be suspended in positions for their movement successively past the side opening of the housing with the rotation of the reel.

A further object of the invention is to provide the protective housing with openings that permit a free and easy circulation of drying air about the brushes as protectively suspended therein.

Further objects and advantages of the invention reside in the various details of construction and combination of parts employed therein and in the mode of use of the device, as will hereinafter be described.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention, I have provided the improved details of construction, the preferred forms of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a tooth brush holder and the protective housing embodying the features of the present invention therein; showing the sidewall opening of the housing.

FIG. 2 is a diametric, vertical section of the same.

FIG. 3 is a top end and partial horizontal section as seen on line 33 in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the upper end portion of the brush holding reel.

FIG. 5 is a sectional detail showing the reel holding clip.

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

In its present preferred form of construction the device of this invention comprises a tubular metal standard that is fixed rigidly at its lower end, centrally in a downwardly cupped metal base plate 11 which closely overlies and is mounted for axial rotation upon a flat, circular base member 12 of metal of substantial weight in a manner presently to be fully described. At its top end, the tubular standard 10 fixedly mounts a downwardly facing or inverted cup-shaped cap 13 coaxially thereon and extending radially outward, at evenly spaced angular intervals from the sidewalls of this cap are brush mounting arms 14 each provided with an upwardly facing seat 14 adapted for the suspending of a tooth brush therefrom, as has been illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2.

Threaded centrally into the weighted base member 12 is a metal rod 16 of small diameter that extends upwardly and coaxially through the tubular standard 10 and also 3,141,712 Patented July 21, 1964 freely through a central opening 17 in the bottom of the inverted cap 13. This rod 16 extends slightly above the bottom wall of cap 13 and has a horizontal disk 19 of greater diameter than the cap 13, threaded thereonto and adjusted close to but free of the end wall of cap 13; the relationship of parts being such that the standard 10 and cap 13 which carries the brush supporting arms 14 are freely rotatable about rod 16. A hub member 18 surrounds the lower end of rod 12 and this has a reduced portion 18' at its top end that extends into the tube 10 to center the part 11 on base 12.

A cylindrical protective housing 20 with a closing top end wall 20', formed with a central opening 21 is so applied over the brush mounting reel as to receive the top end of rod 16 freely through the opening 21 and a nut 24 is there threaded onto the rod 16 to firmly clamp the end wall of the housing 20 against disk 19. This holds the housing against free rotation, but permits axial rotation of the tubular standard 10 and parts thereon.

For a better understanding of this device, it will here be explained that in its present form the standard 10 is approximately seven inches high and the cap 13 on which it is mounted is three and one-half inches in diameter. The housing 20 is approximately four inches in diameter and seven and one-half inches high. These dimensions are not critical but are believed to be most practical at the present time.

The tooth brushes 25 used with this device are of the type shown which have openings 26 through the outer ends of their handles.

The particular dimensions of the brush holder and housing have been found quite practical, particularly to permit the device to be placed in the ordinary medicine cabinets as used in lavatories and bath rooms of modern residences. It is customary and quite desirable that, in placing this device in a cabinet, it be so placed that the opening 27, at one side of the housing 20, be placed at the front to permit easy removal or placing of brushes on the hooks 14 of the supporting reel. The sidewall opening 27 of housing 20 through which the brushes are removed or placed in position, extends from the lower edge of the housing to near its top end and spans an arc of about It is to be observed that the lower end of housing 20 closely fits the base 12. However, the top end wall 20' of the housing is formed with a plurality of circular openings 30' for outflow of the drying air.

It is to be understood that in lieu of use of the radial arms for the suspending of the brushes thereon, various other means might be employed such as, for example, paired spring clips, between which the brush handles might be placed, or notched arms instead pf the arms 20 might be designed to seat the brush heads or their handles there- Devices of this kind are not to be confined to tooth brushes but may be designed for articles of various kinds and sizes without departing from the spirit of the inveniton.

The positions for the hanging of brushes of individuals, as for example, the individuals of a family, may be designated by letters, names, or numerals placed on the side wall of the downwardly cupped base plate as indicated in FIG. 1. Also a spring clip 35 for holding the brush carrying reel against free rotation is fixed in the base member 12 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 5 to yieldingly bear against the vertically ribbed or serrated inside face 11 of the sidewall of part 11.

What we claim is:

1. A holder and sanitary protective device for a plurality of tooth brushes comprising a flat supporting base member, an upright housing fixedly mounted on said base member; said housing comprising enclosing side walls and an upper end closing wall and formed with a side wall opening extending from the base member to the full height of the housing, an axial rod fixed at its lower end in said supporting base member and extending upwardly coaxially of said housing and fixed at its top end in its upper end closing wall; a tubular standard applied for rotation coaxially about said axial rod and extending between the upper end wallof the housing to a level near the base member, a circular, downwardly cupped bottom plate supported axially of said standard as a turning means therefor; said bottom plate. having a segment of its ri'm portion exposed through the side wall opening of said housing for its finger turning, a cap fixed on the top end of said standard and equipped with brush suspending means projecting outwardly thereform.

2. A device according to claim 1 wherein a hub member is applied about the lower end portion of said axial rod and said tubular standard is supported at its lower send, for rotation, by said hub, and wherein the peripheral rim portion of said downwardly cupped plate is marked in accordance with the positions of the brush suspending means to identify the brush as applied to each, and wherein the downturned rim. portion of said bottom plate is knurled on its inside surface and a spring clip is mounted on the base member to engage the knurled surface to prevent free rotation of the tubular standard.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS v Weidhaas Feb. 25, 

1. A HOLDER AND SANITARY PROTECTIVE DEVICE FOR A PLURALITY OF TOOTH BRUSHES COMPRISING A FLAT SUPPORTING BASE MEMBER, AN UPRIGHT HOUSING FIXEDLY MOUNTED ON SAID BASE MEMBER; SAID HOUSING COMPRISING ENCLOSING SIDE WALLS AND AN UPPER END CLOSING WALL AND FORMED WITH A SIDE WALL OPENING EXTENDING FROM THE BASE MEMBER TO THE FULL HEIGHT OF THE HOUSING, AN AXIAL ROD FIXED AT ITS LOWER END IN SAID SUPPORTING BASE MEMBER AND EXTENDING UPWARDLY COAXIALLY OF SAID HOUSING AND FIXED AT ITS TOP END IN ITS UPPER END CLOSING WALL, A TUBULAR STANDARD APPLIED FOR ROTATION COAXIALLY ABOUT SAID AXIAL ROD AND EXTENDING BETWEEN THE UPPER END WALL OF THE HOUSING TO A LEVEL NEAR THE BASE MEMBER, A CIRCULAR, DOWNWARDLY CUPPED BOTTOM PLATE SUPPORTED AXIALLY OF SAID STANDARD AS A TURNING MEANS THEREFOR; SAID BOTTOM PLATE HAVING A SEGMENT OF ITS RIM PORTION EXPOSED THROUGH THE SIDE WALL OPENING OF SAID HOUSING FOR ITS FINGER TURNING, A CAP FIXED ON THE TOP END OF SAID STANDARD AND EQUIPPED WITH BRUSH SUSPENDING MEANS PROJECTING OUTWARDLY THEREFORM. 